Retractable car coupler



Feb. 5, 1952 w J, TZ I 2,584,486

RETRACTABLE CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 9, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR ATTORNEY Feb. 5, 1952 w. J. METZGER RETRACTABLE CAR COUPLER 4 Sheets-Sheet 2 Filed Aug. 9, 1947 LIT INVENTOR. William J. Me'iz BY gel QZM QM! ATTORNEY Feb. '5, 1952 w. J. METZGER 2,584,486

RETRACTABLE CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 9, 1947 4 Sheets-Sheet 3 INVENTOR. William J. Mei er Wain-L57 ATTORNEY F 5-, 1952 w. J. METzGE-R 2,584,486

RETRACTABLE CAR COUPLER Filed Aug. 9, 1947- 4 Sheets-Sheet 4 INVENTOR WWW ATTORNEY Patented Feb. 5, 1952 RETRAGTABLEICAR COUPLER William J. Metzger, East Cleveland, Ohio, assignor to National Malleable and Steel Castings Company, Cleveland, Ohio, a corporation of Ohio Application August 9, 1947, Serial No. 767,814

I 14 Claims.

This invention relates to car couplers and more particularly to a retractable coupler :adapted for use in the front end of a locomotive.

An object of my invention is to provide a retractible car coupler arrangement which permits the coupler to be moved easily and quickly from normal operating position to inoperative position within the locomotive pilot contour.

Another object is to provide a vertically swingable retractable coupler utilizing spring means in a novel manner to-counterbalance the coupler. I

usually employeda counterweight on'the .coupler shank to facilitate swinging of the coupler to and from operating position. A 'counterweighted coupler shank is necessarily heavyandbulky and occupies space within the locomotive pilot which could be used to advantage to accommodate train service lines. It adds to the weight of the front end of the locomotive and generally requires a special pilot construction to receive the counterweighted end of the coupler. My invention eliminates thecounterweights on couplers of this type .by providing a spring arrangement which counterbalances the coupler head. The invention permits the use of a compartivelyshort shank coupler of minimum width shank, the entire assembly occupying very little space. The springs for counterbalancing the coupler .are preferably positioned to react at one end againsta seat on the coupler shank and at the other end against a seat on a support member which pivotally mounts the coupler. The spring seats are pivotally connected to their respective partsandtare so positioned that the moment arm of the spring expansive force about the. horizontal, pivot of the coupler varies from a maximum in thernormal operating position of the coupler to aminimum in the retracted position thereof. Simultaneously the magnitude of the expansive force of the spring increases from a predetermined value at the normal operating position of the-coupler to a maximum at the retracted position.

Through this arrangement the moment tending to balance the coupler head decreases approximatelyin proportion to the momentnecessary to balance the coupler in all its positions from,

operative to retracted.

Other objects and advantages of my invention will be apparent from the following description taken in conjunction with the drawings in which:

Fig. 1. is a plan view of an embodiment of the invention.

, Fig. 2 is an eleva'tional view, partly in vertical section, of the embodimentshown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an elevational view, partly n in sec-.- tion, showing the coupler in lowered or retracted position. v

Fig. 4 is a transverse sectional view taken along line 4-4 of Fig. 2.

. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal vertical sectional view of amodification of the invention. 1

Referring to the drawings the outline 'ofythe front end of a locomotive is shown in dot-dash and is indicated by the reference numeral L0. Also shown in dot-dash within the locomotive pilot is the flexible type support I l for the coupler l2 and its associated parts to enable vertical angling of the coupler. -A member l4 directly engages support H and comprises a forwardly ex.- tending bifurcated portion having arms I5 and a rearwardly extending portion having a pair of spaced ears l5. Ears [6 are provided with aligned vertical openings I! for reception of a pin (not shown) for pivotally connecting member l4, preferably, to .a conventional yoke member having a .csuhioning mechanism associated therewith in a manner well known in the art. It is to be under-.- stood, however, that member M maybe pivotally connected directly to the locomotive pilot structure without departing from the spirit of the invention. In either case horizontal angling of the coupler I2 is provided. The coupler, which is of the conventional knuckle type now in service, has a shank 20 which is received between arms .I 5 and is pivotally connected thereto for vertical swing. ing by means of a horizontal pin 22. Thus the coupler is adapted to be swung about pin 22 downwardly from normal operating position to lowered .orretracted position within the locomotive pilot contour as shown in Fig. A is maintained in position by means of 'lug' 24 on one of arms 15, overlapping one end of the pin and by a vertical bolt 25 adjacent the other end of the pin. Bolt 25 extends through lugs 25 and is locked thereto by means of nuts 21.

The end of coupler shank 20v is recessed as at 30 for receiving a level 3| which is pivotally connected at its lower end to the shank by means of horizontal pin or bolt 32. The upper end of lever '31 is forked as at 33 and pivotally connected thereto is a seat member 34 which is engaged by one end of springs 35. Member 34 .has alug '{36 which .is received between arms 33 of lever 3| 3. Pin 22 v and is pivotally connected thereto by means of bolt 31. The other end of springs 35 engage another seat member 40 pivotally connected to member I4. Bridging the top sides of the forward ends of arms I is a tie member 4I having a pair of spaced rearwardly extending lugs 42. Seat member 40 has a lug 43 received between lugs 42 and a bolt or rivet 44 extending through these lugs enables rotation of the member. Springs 35 are maintained on their respective seats by means of a plunger 45 on seat member 40 which is slidably received in sleeve 46 extending from seatmember 34. This sleeve and plunger arrange-. ment precludes springs 35 from bending or twisting during compression thereof as the coupler is swung downwardly to inactive position.

It will be observed in Fig. 2 that. the reaction of springs 35 against seat members 34 and 40 tends to pivot the coupler in a counterclockwise direction. The initial compression applied to springs 35 is preferably of such an amount as will just balance the coupler in horizontal position. The initial compression can be adjusted by means of a pair of bolts 48 which extend through lever 3| and lugs 49 on coupler shank 20. By screwing nuts 50 on bolts 48 seat member 34 will be moved closer to seat member 40 and thereby increase the compression of springs 35.

The moment arm of the spring force about pivot pin 22 is designated as a. In the normal horizontal position of the coupler (Fig. 2) moment arm a is a maximum while the expansive force of the springs is at a minimum and is equal to the initial compression applied thereto. As the coupler is swung downwardly toward inactive position it will be apparent that springs 35 will pivot about bolt or rivet 44 in a clockwise direction so that moment arm a of the spring force will simultaneously decrease. Thus, as the springs approach a vertical position during lowering of the coupler, moment arm a will approach a minimum. It will also be observed that as the 4 stantial decrease in the overall weight of the unit.

The underside of arms I5 are connected by a transverse wall 54 the end surface 55 of which forms a stop for limiting downward swinging of the coupler into the pilot. When the coupler is swung upwardly from retracted position, engagement between coupler shank 20 and wall 54 positions the coupler in approximately normal operating position. Shank 20 is recessed as at 56 to accommodate springs 35 as the coupler is swung from normal operating position to retracted pocoupler is lowered, seat members 34 and 40 move closer together, springs 35. At a point just before the coupler reaches fully lowered position the moment arm "a is zero while the spring compression is a maximum. This occurs when the centers of bolt 31, rivet 44 and pin 22 lie in a straight line. Lowering of the coupler from this point to its final position within the confines of the pilot results in a slight increase of the moment of the spring force as indicated at b in Fig. 3 and a slight decrease in the spring compression.

It will be observed that in fully lowered position of the coupler the line of force of the spring passes to the left side of pivot pin 22 (as viewed in Fig. 3) and therefore the action of the spring is to tendto rotate the coupler clockwise. This serves to maintain the coupler in lowered position after it swings downwardly past the point where the moment arm of the spring force is zero and thus prevents any tendency of the coupler to swing or bounce upwardly while in retracted position.

The counterbalancing of the coupler by the springs in substantially all of its positions from operative to lowered within the pilot contour constitutes an important feature of the invention. It enables a workman either to raise or lower the coupler safely with a minimum of time and effort. Also this feature permits a shorter overall length of the coupler assembly than if a counterweighted thereby further compressing tion in the width of the coupler shank and a sub Sition.

The coupler isflocked in normal operating position by means of a pin 51 positioned reai'wardly of. pivot pin 22; and extending through shank ZOand arms I5 of member I4. Pin 5I is precluded from accidentally sliding out of position by a vertical bolt 58 located adjacent the end of the pin head 59 and passing through lugs BI] on arms'I5. A removable hook 6| received in opening 62 in bolt 58'pi'ecludes accidental withdrawal of the bolt from lugs 60.

To retract the coupler, hook 6| is removed and bolt 53 and pin 5I'are withdrawn. By applying a comparatively light downward force to the coupler head the latter may be easily swung to the retracted position shown in Fig. 3. Pin 51 may now be reinserted and secured in position as before by means' of bo1t*'58 and'hook 60. The coupler is now locked in retracted position. Pin 51 thus serves effectively to lock the coupler in either horizontal or lowered'position.

To raise the couplerfrom lowered or retracted position to horizontal operating position the reverse steps of the preceding operation are carried out. It is to be noted that a comparatively light upward force applied to the coupler head will raise it to operating position.

Referring to the modification of my invention shown in Fig.5 the spring 10 for counterbalancing the coupler I2 is carried within recess II in coupler shank 20. At the lower rearward end of recess II is a spring seat member I2 pivotally connected to support-member I4 by means of a horizontal pin 13. Another spring seat member I4 within recess II pivotally connected to a l'earwardly extending arm I5 on member I4. Spring I0 reacts between members I2 and I4 to counter balance the coupler in a manner similar to that of theprevious embodiment. Seat members I2 and I4 are maintained'with their spring abutment surfaces parallel and in line throughout movement of the coupler from horizontal to retracted position by means of sleeve I8 on member I2 and plunger I9 on member I4 slidably received in the sleeve. With this sleeve and plunger arrangement spring Ill will compress and expand alongits axis without any tendency to bend or be distorted."

The coupler is pivotally connected to member I4 by horizontal pin to permit the coupler to be lowered to inactive position within the pilot. A removable pin 32 positioned forwardly of pin 80 and extending through member I4 and shank 20 locks the coupler in horizontal position. Upon withdrawal of pin 82 and-lowering of the'coupler the pin may be reinserted in member I4 to lock the coupler in retracted position as may be seen in Fig. 5, the coupler and spring mechanism being shown in'dot-da'sh inthis posi-,

tion. A'ny suitable" meansi'for'retaining pinsBII and 82 in place may be used. 7 v

The operationof' the device is similar to that of the previous embodiment. The'moment arm assesses of the spring force about pin 80 is a maximum when the coupler is in operating position. Spring is preferably of such size and capacity as will just balance the coupler in horizontal position. As the coupler is swung to retracted position the moment arm of the spring force decreases and simultaneously the compression of the spring between seat members '12 and 14 increases. At a point just before the coupler is fully retracted the amount arm of the spring force has .decreased to zero while the compression applied to the 'spring is a maximum. Movement of the coupler from this point to its fully retracted position is now assisted by the spring as the moment arm of its force about pin '80 "basicversedwhere'by the force now acts in a clockwise direction. This feature, therefore, serves to maintain the coupler in fully retracted position, and yet does not make subsequent raising of the coupler difiicu'lt because the actual distance the coupler must be swung upwardly, before "the spring force begins to act in a counterclockwise direction to raise the coupler, is very slight.

As in the previous embod-imentthe coupler is counterbalanced by the spring in substantially all positions from horizontal to lowered :and only a comparatively light force applied to the coupler head :is needed to raise or lower the coupler. The modification, however, is particularly adapted for 'use where a minimum of space is available in the pilot structure.

The terms and expressions which I have employed {are used as terms of description and not of limitation, and I have no intention, in the use 01 such terms and expressions, of excluding any equivalents 'of the features shown and "described or portions thereof, butrecognize that various modifications are possible within thescope of the invention claimed.

What I claim is:

1.111 a locomotive pilot a member supported therein, .said member having a pair of forwardly extending arms, a car coupler having a shank received between said arms, said shank being pivotally connected to said arms'to enable vertical swinging of said coupler from horizontal operating position to lowered position within the pilot contour, a pivotal spring-abutment member on said first-named member positioned substantially in vertical alignment with and spaced from the pivotal axis of said coupler, another pivotal spring-abutment member at the end of said shank,and spring means reacting between said spring-abutment members for substantially counterbalancing said coupler, said spring-abutment members being so arranged that the moment of the line of force of said spring means is a maximum when said coupler is in horizontal operating position, said spring means during swinging of said coupler to lowered position being adapted to pivot about said coupler supporting member to a position in which said moment is a minimum, andsimultaneously said pivotal spring-abutment memberon said shank being moved toward said pivotal springabutment member on saidcoupler carrying member to progressively increase the compression of said spring means.

2. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrynig a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to said member about a horizontal axis and adapted to swing from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperative position within the pilot, and spring means disposed longitudinally of said member for counterbalancing said coupler, one end of said springzmeans being pivotally mounted with respect to said member, the other end of said spring means .being pivotally mounted with respectto said shank, said spring means being so arranged that upon swinging of said coupler from .horizontal operative position to inoperative position said spring means is compressed and simultaneously is swung about said coupler carrying member from a position in which the moment arm of its line of force about said horizontal axis is a maximum to a position in which the moment arm is zero at a point just before the coupler moves to its lowermost position within the pilot.

'3. In a locomotive pilot a :member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to said member about a horizontal axis and adapted to swing from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperative position within the pilot, pivotally mounted spaced spring-abutment means on said coupler shank and member, and spring means reacting between said abutment means to urge said coupler toward horizontal operating position, said abutment means being so arranged as to move relatively toward one another to compress said spring means as said coupler is swung downwardly toward inactive position and simultaneously to move said spring means from a position in which the moment arm of the line of force of said springs about said axi is a maximum to a position in which the moment arm is zero.

4. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to said member about a horizontal axis and adapted to be -swung from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperative position within the pilot, a lever extending upwardly from said shank adjacent the end of the latter, a springabutment member pivoted to the upper end of said lever, another spring-abutment member disposed forwardly of said first-named spring-abutment and being pivoted to said coupler carrying member, and spring means reacting between said spring-abutment members to substantially counterbalance said coupler in all positions from operating to retracted.

5. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to said member about a horizontal axis and adapted to be swung from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperative position with in the pilot, a lever extending upwardly from said shank and being secured thereto for limited pivotal movement in a longitudinal direction, a

spring-abutment member pivoted to the upper end of said lever, another spring-abutment member pivoted to said first-named member and disposediorwardly of said spring-abutment member on said lever, and spring means reacting between said spring abutment members to counterbalance said coupler, and means for adjusting the position of the upper end of said lever in a longitudinal direction for varying the initial compression applied to said spring means.

-6. In a locomotive pilot a member supported therein, said member having a pair of forwardly extending arms, a car coupler having a shank received between said arms, said shank being pivotally connected to said arms to enable vertical swinging of said coupler from horizontal operating position to lowered, position within the pilot contour, a tie member joining the forward end of said arms above said shank, a forward pivotal '5 member mounted on said tie member, a rearward pivotal member mounted on said shank, and spring means reacting between said pivotal members for substantially counterbalancing said coupler in all positions from horizontal to lowered, said pivotal members being so arranged that the moment arm of said spring force is a maximum when said coupler is in horizontal position and decreases as the coupler is lowered, and simultaneously said spring 'is progressively further compressed as said coupler is lowered.

7. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to :said member about a horizontal axis and adapted to swing from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperative position within the pilot, said shank being recessed rearwardly of said axis, a seat member in the rearward end of said recess and pivoted to said shank, another seat member pivoted to said first-named member and extending into the forward end of said recess, and spring means within said recess and reacting between said seat members to substantially counterbalance said coupler, said seat members being so disposed that the distance of the line of force of said spring means from said axis is a maximum when the coupler is in horizontal position and progressively decreases to a minimum as the coupler is lowered to inoperative position, and simultaneously said seat member on said shank is adapted to move toward said other seat member to progressively further compress said spring means.

8. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank, a horizontal pivot pin connecting said shank to said member to permit swinging of the coupler from horizontal operative position to lowered inactive position, said shank being recessed rearwardly of said pin, a seat member in the rearward end of said recess and pivoted to said shank, a forward seat member pivoted to said first-named member and extending into said recess, spring means reacting between said seat members to substantially counterbalance said coupler from horizontal operative position to lowered inactive position,

and guide means on said seat members for maintaining said seat members in proper alignment.

9. In a retractable car coupler arrangement a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank, a horizontal pivot pin connecting said shank to said member to permit vertical swinging of the coupler, a spring seat member pivoted to said first-named member at a point substantially directed above said pin, another spring seat member pivoted to the end of said shank at a point rearwardly of said first-named seat member, spring means under initial compression between said seat members for substantially counterbalancing said coupler in a position from horizontal operative to lowered inactive, and slidably engaging guide mean on said seat members for maintaining said seat members in proper alignment.

10. Ina retractable car coupler arrangement a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank, a horizontal pivot pin connecting said shank to said member to permit the coupler to swing from horizontal operating position downwardly to retracted position, a removable pin extending through said member and shank for locking the coupler in operating position, said pin being adapted to be removed to allow, the coupler to be swung downwardly to retracted position and then reinserted-into said member to lock the coupler in the retracted posi- 8 tion, 'pivotally' mounted spaced spring-abutment means on said shank and'member, and spring means reacting between said abutment means for substantially counterbalancing the coupler from horizontal operating position downwardly to retracted position, said spring-abutment means being so arranged'as to be moved into closer relationship as said coupler is retracted to progressively increase the compression of said spring means.v

11. In a locomotive pilot a member for carrying a car coupler, a coupler having a shank pivoted to said member about a horizontal axis' and adapted to swing from horizontal operating position downwardly to inoperativeposition within the pilot, and longitudinally extending resilient means disposed abovesaid shank for counterbalancing said coupler, one end of said resilient means being pivotally associated with said member, the other end of said resilient means being pivotally associated with said coupler shank, said shank having a recess adjacent said resilient means, said resilient means, during swinging of said coupler from horizontal position downwardly to inoperative position, being rotated about said member and received'in said recess. I

12. A car coupler mounting for a locomotive for enabling movement of the coupler from a horizontal operative position to a lowered inoperative position, said mounting comprising a member carried by the locomotive, a horizontal pin extending through the shank of said coupler and being secured :to said member, a pivotally mounted spring-abutment carried by said'member at a point spaced from said pin, a second pivotally mounted spring abutment carried by said coupler and spaced longitudinally from said firstnamed abutment when said coupler is in opera tive position, spring means compressed between said abutments and tending to lift said coupler toward a horizontal position, said second-named abutment being so located on said coupler relative to said pin and said first-named abutment as to move toward said first-named abutment as said coupler is moved to its lowered inoperative position, whereby said spring is further compressed and its direction of force is so altered as to maintain said coupler substantially counterbalanced during its movement from operative to inoperative position.

13. A retractable car coupler arrangement adapted for mounting in a railway vehicle, comprising a member for carrying a car coupler, a car coupler having a shank pivotally connected to said member about a horizontal pivot pin and being adapted to be swung from horizontal position to retracted inoperative position, a pivotally mounted spring abutment on said coupler carrying member disposed substantially in vertical alignment with said pin and spaced therefrom, a second pivotally mounted spring abutment carried by said shank and spaced longitudinally from said first-named spring abutment, spring means compressed between said spring abutments for exerting a force against said shank which tends to substantially counter-balance said coupler in horizontal position, said spring abutment on said shank being movable with said shank as said coupler is swung to a retracted position to cause said spring mean to pivot with said first-named abutment about said member to a position in which the line of forceof said spring means passes through said pin and simultaneously said spring abutment on said couplercarrying member to further compresssaid spring means.*

14. A retractable car coupler arrangement adapted for mounting in a railway vehicle, comprising a member for carrying a car coupler, a car coupler pivotally connected to said member about a horizontal pivot pin and being adapted to be swung from horizontal position to retracted inoperative position, pivotally mounted spring abutment carried by said coupler carrying member, said spring abutment being. spaced in a given fixed. direction from said pin, a second pivotally mounted spring abutment carried by said coupler, and spring means compressed between said spring abutments, said second-named spring abutment being spaced from said first-named spring abutment and being so disposed that when the coupler is in horizontal position the line of force of said spring means against said spring abutments is substantially at right angles to said given fixed direction in which said first-named spring abutment is spaced from said pin, the force exerted by said spring means against said coupler tending to counterbalance said coupler in horizontal position, said spring abutment on said coupler being rotatable with said coupler duringswinging of said coupler to retracted position to pivot said spring means about said coupler carrying member to a position in which the line of force of said spring means passes through said pin,

and simultaneously said spring abutment on said coupler i moved progressively toward said spring abutment on said coupler carrying member to further compress said spring means.

WILLIAM J. METZGER.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,966,957 Dunn July 1'7, 1934 20 2,200,219 Reid May 7, 1940 2,356,202 Benjamin Aug. 22, 1944 

